Method, network and device for information provision by using paging and cell broadcast services

ABSTRACT

Informing a number of users about an emergency or other situation of public interest is accomplished using a broadcast service. A specific identifier is used in a paging message for activating broadcast service in terminals. A terminal checks a received paging message with regard to the presence of the specific identifier and when detecting the specific identifier, switches to a broadcast mode for receiving broadcast content. The received broadcast emergency content is notified and/or displayed to the users of the terminals.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/450,608 filed Feb. 2, 2010, which is pending; which is the U.S.National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2008/053915, filedApr. 2, 2008; which claims the benefits of European Application No.07006867 filed on Apr. 2, 2007; which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The field of communication in particular mobile communication, and moreparticular to information provision by using paging and cell broadcastservices is addressed herein. More specifically, the enablement ofemergency information provision by using enhanced TMSI definition andcell broadcast services is addressed.

Currently informing a large public about possible emergencies andhazards mainly is accomplished acoustically using such as a siren whichcan give only very limited information and requires a second informationchannel, e.g. radio broadcast, to get helpful guidance. Even in someregions of the world, such infrastructure does not exist, or the lowpopulation density makes deployment thereof inefficient.

GSM as of today has no specific precaution to support an efficientemergency information distribution.

Described below are methods and devices for conveying information suchas emergency information to a large number of people in an efficientway.

In at least one of the implementations described below, public landmobile network, PLMN, based technology is used. Existing infrastructurescan be utilized. In one or more of the embodiments, GSM is a choice ofsystem due to its almost global coverage with more than one billionusers world wide.

SUMMARY

According to at least one or more of the embodiments, an existingbroadcast service can be used such as the GSM Cell-Broadcast Servicewhich is an SMS type broadcast service and delivers in one session thenotification and the message content. The cell-broadcast service allowssending of short messages to all mobile terminals attached or registeredto a base station or cell. GSM 03.41 defines this Short MessageService—Cell Broadcast (SMS-CB) which allows messages to be broadcast toall mobile users in a specified geographical area.

The technology and standard is ready but not frequently used because thesystem design normally requires a very frequent reading of anotification channel, omitting almost a power saving sleep mode e.g. ina discontinuous reception, DRX, mode. This has harsh consequences on thebattery drain and the stand-by time of a terminal. Therefore operatorsdo not use these services but most of the terminals are supporting thefeature.

In accordance with at least one of the embodiments, a broadcast servicesuch as the Cell-Broadcast service is used for emergency support, yetavoiding the above mentioned significant consequences on the stand-bytime of the mobile terminals. In at least one of the embodiments, thisservice is actively invoked by the terminal in case of need only, usinga paging mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent andmore readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplaryembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a timing diagram showing an embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method in accordance with an embodiment,

FIG. 3 is a basic block diagram illustrating an aspect of paging andbroadcast in accordance with one, more or all of the embodiments,

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a terminal, and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method as implemented in aterminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinlike reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which a terminal 1 such as a mobileterminal, mobile station or user equipment etc. is attached to a networkvia a base station system, BSS, or mobile switching center, MSC, 2 orany other access network. The network may include an emergency center 3for handling emergency matters, or any other device which will instructthe network to broadcast emergency content or other content of publicinterest e.g. in case of emergencies. When the network learns, e.g. fromthe police or a medical institution, about an emergency or any othertype of situation such as traffic jam etc. on which all users attachedto a cell of the network should be informed, the network starts, in stepS11, a broadcast service such as a cell-broadcast service. In step S12,the radio access network, RAN, or BSS/MSC 2 begins to broadcastemergency content specifying the actual emergency or other situation ofpublic interest.

Further, in step S13, the RAN or BSS/MSC 2 sends one or more pagingmessages which include a specific identifier such as an E-TMSI which isaccepted by all terminals 1 receiving the paging message. The steps S12and S13 can also be carried out in reversed order or simultaneously. Inresponse to the receipt of the paging message on step S13, the terminal1 switches, in step S14, to Cell-Broadcast Service support and thusstarts to listen to the broadcast channel. In step S15, the terminal 1displays or notifies the content received from the broadcast channel tothe user of the terminal 1 via a display or acoustical output theterminal 1.

Instead of the Cell-Broadcast Service, another broadcast service canalso be used for informing the terminals on the emergency or othercontent.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a method. In step S21, the networkis informed about an emergency situation or other situation of publicinterest by receiving emergency or other actual contents enriched by aseverity. The network starts or uses cell broadcast service distributingemergency or other actual content in step S22. Further, in step 623, thenetwork starts sending paging messages which include a specificidentifier for indicating an emergency or other situation. The steps S22and S23 can also be carried out in reverse order, or simultaneously. Thesent paging messages may indicate an emergency situation by help of thespecific identifier such as an E-TMSI. When the terminals receive, instep S24, the paging message including the specific identifier such asE-TMSI, the terminals switch to support or activate the cell broadcastservice or mode. In step S25, the terminal displays or announces orotherwise notifies the user of the terminal on the broadcast content.

FIG. 3 shows a general overview wherein a network such as a 3GPP network31 sends paging messages and broadcast messages to all terminals 1attached to a cell of the cellular mobile network 31. The pagingmessages and broadcast messages may also be transmitted in one, more orall other cells of the network 31 for increasing the number of usersreceiving the broadcast content.

FIG. 4 illustrates the internal structure of a terminal 1 in accordancewith one or more embodiments. The terminal 1 of FIG. 4 includes atransceiver 41 for transmitting and receiving signals via an airinterface, a paging mode unit 42 for processing or evaluating receivedpaging messages, and a cell-broadcast mode unit 43 supporting acell-broadcast service by frequently checking a broadcast channel withregard to broadcast messages. A memory unit 44 serves for storing a TMSIallocated to the terminal 1 from the network 31 and/or one or morespecific identifiers which, when transmitted from the network, willcause the terminal 1 to start or activate the support of thecell-broadcast mode. A control unit 45 controls some or all functions ofthe terminal 1 or at least some of the units shown in FIG. 4. Anacoustical unit 46 enables acoustical announcement of broadcast contentif available in, or convertible to, acoustical form. A display unit 47enables visual display of broadcast or other content.

FIG. 5 illustrates functions of a terminal such as terminal 1 inaccordance with one, more or all of the embodiments. When the terminal 1receives, in step S51, a paging message, the terminal 1 or paging modeunit 42 of FIG. 4 checks, in step S52, whether the TMSI included in thepaging message corresponds to the TMSI allocated to the terminal 1 fromthe network, or to the specific identifier, or one of the specificidentifiers, indicating an emergency or other situation of publicinterest, and stored in memory unit 44 of FIG. 4. When the terminaldetects, in step S52 that the TMSI in the paging message corresponds tothe temporary TMSI allocated from the network to the terminal, theprocess proceeds to step S53 wherein the terminal establishes a physicaland/or logical channel in the customary manner. If the terminal detects,in step S52 that the TMSI in the paging message corresponds to thespecific identifier E-TMSI, or one of the specific identifiers stored inmemory unit 44, the process proceeds to step S54 wherein the terminal 1switches to support or listen to the Cell Broadcast mode, and receives,notifies and/or displays the broadcast content, e.g. emergency content,in step S 55. When the TMSI of the received paging message does notcorrespond to either of the allocated TMSI or E-TMSI, the paging messageis neglected without any response.

In accordance with at least one or more of the embodiments, a pagingmechanism such as the existing circuit-switched, CS, paging mechanismmay be used for sending a paging message to the terminals which areattached to a cell or listening to a sender such as a base station orNode B. The paging message may include a specific identifier such as aspecific temporary mobile subscriber identity, TMSI. The terminal checksa received paging message in the usual manner with regard to the TMSI oridentifier so as to detect whether the paging message is directed to theterminal. When the terminal detects that the identifier included in thepaging message is the specific identifier the terminal is thus informedthat the paging message is to be interpreted as an emergencynotification. The terminal is configured to switch to, or activate thebroadcast service when receiving such a paging message including thespecific identifier. The paging mechanism is thus modified to switch theterminal to the broadcast reception mode. The mechanism and messages arebackwards compatible with terminals not being able to interpret pagingmessages as emergency notifications. A terminal which is unable tointerpret a paging message including the specific identifier as anemergency notification may simply disregard the paging message.

In at least one of the embodiments, such a paging message is formed soas to include the specific identifier formed as a specific TMSI. Allterminals are identifying the received specific TMSI as valid.

Usually terminals receive a TMSI derived from the international mobilesubscriber identity, TMSI. The use of the TMSI allows a staggering ofthe terminals to be paged into 10 groups, allowing for large DRX cycles.

In GSM ten paging groups exist so that only 10% (derived from the IMSI)of all terminals in a cell sending the paging message listen to a pagingmessage. The network will change the paging groups in the next pagingcycles so as to page all terminals.

3GPP TS 23.003 V7.1.0 (2006-09), chapter 2 defines actually validsubscriber identities such as IMSI, TMSI or P-TMSI. In accordance withone, more or all of the embodiments, an additional specific identifiersuch as E(mergency)-TMSI can be used, and may additionally be defined inthis chapter. Instead of E(mergency)-TMSI any other name may be used forthis specific identifier, provided that the format and content is suchthat the terminals can recognize the specific identifier as anindication to switch to the listening to the cell broadcast service.

Similar to a normal TMSI assigned to a terminal having localsignificance within a VLR and the area controlled by a VLR, or within anSGSN and the area controlled by an SGSN, the specific identifier such asE-TMSI may consist of 4 octets and can be coded using, e.g., a fullhexadecimal representation, with the structure and coding optionallychosen in order to meet local needs. The terminals may be informed onthe specific identifier or identifiers either at the production stage orlater by device management or the like, and store this specificidentifier or identifiers either continuously or until replacement byother specific identifiers or cancellation.

The discrimination between a normal TMSI temporarily assigned to theterminal and the specific identifier may be done using some bits of theTMSI. An E-TMSI can be fixed and will thus not only temporarily beassigned, and can be valid in several terminals and cells so that thespecific identifier will not change when roaming.

The specific identifier such as E-TMSI may be stored, similar to anormal TMSI, in the subscriber identity module, SIM, or in anotherstorage of the terminals so that some or all terminals store the samespecific identifier.

When receiving a paging message, the terminals check if the TMSIincluded in the paging message corresponds to the allocated TMSI or tothe specific identifier.

Contrary to a normal TMSI, the specific identifier is not exclusivelyallocated to one terminal only but is identically set in severalterminals or all terminals in accordance with one, more or all of theembodiments.

A terminal may be a mobile on or user equipment or any other type ofmobile or stationary device.

Terminals such as mobiles in accordance with at least one of theembodiments now accept in paging messages the TMSI as before, and aspecific identifier such as an E(emergency)-TMSI, which may alsoindicate a paging group allocation, and is generically accepted by allterminals. The E-TMSI uses a number pattern unique to indicate emergencysituations. In order to avoid a disadvantage that 10% of all terminalsin a paging area accepting this paging message (and in the next pagingmessage the next 10% would come, and so on) would seek to establish apoint to point connection to get the emergency message contentdelivered, thus leading to a rush to the resources likely to drive thesystem into an overload situation, the terminals are adapted to switchto the broadcast reception mode when detecting the specific identifierin the paging message, instead of establishing a point to pointconnection.

According to embodiments, the advantages of both GSM techniques; cellbroadcast service and paging mechanism, can be combined into anefficient emergency provisioning system.

The method introduces a specific identifier such as E-TMSI, aspreviously described, as a generic identifier for indicating anemergency situation. When a mobile receives a valid E-TMSI, it does notestablish a PtP connection. Instead it switches to Cell-Broadcast modeand starts to monitor the Cell-Broadcast Notification channels foremergency information contents. The E-TMSI may be formed in differentways, but all are a priori known as E-TMSI to the terminal.

In accordance with one or more of the embodiments, not only one specificidentifier such as only one E-TMSI may be provided but a group of two ormore specific identifiers may be provisioned. The presence of a group ofE-TMSI allows the following options.

A first specific identifier, first E-TMSI, will activate theCell-Broadcast Mode in the terminal for an infinite time, i.e. the userhas manually to disable the service. The terminal will hence start tocontinuously receive all cell broadcast messages until manualswitch-off.

A second E-TMSI of another form or bit content will activate theCell-Broadcast Mode in the terminal for a defined time (e.g. 1 hour)only, and then the terminal de-activates the cell-broadcast modeautonomously. This shall enable battery saving, and can be used if theemergency is predictably of a limited severity.

A third E-TMSI of another form or bit content can be used to segregategroups of users, e.g. medical personal, law enforcement staff etc. Theuse of this E-TMSI can be used to distribute specific information tospecific groups.

When a group of specific identifiers exists, the network will select aspecific identifier depending on the type of emergency or the content ofthe information to be broadcast, and will include the selectedidentifier into the paging message or messages transmitted in the cellor cells.

In this embodiment, a group of TMSI codes is introduced, which are usedas specific identifiers or E-TMSI. The terminal has a priori knowledgeof the valid E-TMSI set and refrains from establishing an individualphysical and logical Channel when receiving a paging message whichincludes one of these specific identifiers. Instead thereof, thereception of an E-TMSI in a paging message initiates the cell broadcastservice support autonomously in all terminals which have received thespecially formatted paging message.

The terminals then monitor the Cell Broadcast Notification Channel, andreceive the emergency message efficiently as a broadcast message.

Advantageously, all needed technology is already present. Theintroduction of one or a subset of new TMSI values, which will cause apre-defined mobile behaviour, allows the temporary use of the cellbroadcast service, which service is usually disabled due to powerconsumption reasons.

The system also includes permanent or removable storage, such asmagnetic and optical discs, RAM, ROM, etc. on which the process and datastructures of the present invention can be stored and distributed. Theprocesses can also be distributed via, for example, downloading over anetwork such as the Internet. The system can output the results to adisplay device, printer, readily accessible memory or another computeron a network.

A description has been provided with particular reference to preferredembodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C”as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may beused, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of communicating in a bi-directionalcellular wireless communication system between a base station and aplurality of mobile terminals supporting an emergency warning, themethod comprising: storing, at a mobile terminal of the plurality ofmobile terminals, at least two specific identifiers common to theplurality of mobile terminals, the at least two specific identifiersbeing for different types of content of information to be broadcast;checking, by the mobile terminal, whether a paging message received fromthe base station includes at least one specific identifier of the atleast two specific identifiers; switching, by the mobile terminal, to abroadcast mode for receiving broadcast content on a broadcast channelwhen the received the paging message includes the at least one specificidentifier of the at least two specific identifiers; and establishing,by the mobile terminal, at least one of a physical channel and a logicalchannel when the received paging message includes a mobile terminalidentifier allocated to the mobile terminal.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the mobile terminal identifier is at least one of a temporarymobile subscriber identity, an international mobile subscriber identify,and a packet temporary mobile subscriber identity.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the broadcast mode is a GSM cell-broadcast mode.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal notifies and/or displaysto a user of the mobile terminal the broadcast content.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a duration of the broadcast mode is dependent on the atleast one specific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers.6. The method of claim 5, wherein the duration of the broadcast mode isfor an indefinite length of time or for a limited duration of time basedon the at least one specific identifier of the at least two specificidentifiers.
 7. A mobile terminal configured for operating in abi-directional cellular wireless communication system having a basestation and a plurality of other mobile terminals supporting anemergency warning, the mobile terminal comprising: a memory unitconfigured to store at least two specific identifiers common to theplurality of other mobile terminals, the at least two specificidentifiers being for different types of content of information to bebroadcast; and a control unit configured to: check whether a pagingmessage received from the base station includes at least one specificidentifier of the at least two specific identifiers; switch to abroadcast mode for receiving the broadcast content on a broadcastchannel when the paging message received from the base station includesthe at least one specific identifier of the at least two specificidentifiers; and establish at least one of a physical channel and alogical channel when the received paging message includes a mobileterminal identifier allocated to the mobile terminal.
 8. The mobileterminal of claim 7, wherein the mobile terminal identifier is at leastone of a temporary mobile subscriber identity, an international mobilesubscriber identify, and a packet temporary mobile subscriber identity.9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the broadcast mode is a GSMcell-broadcast mode.
 10. The mobile terminal of claim 7, furthercomprising: an acoustical unit configured to announce the broadcastcontent; and a display unit configured to display the broadcast content.11. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein a duration of the broadcastmode is dependent on the at least one specific identifier of the atleast two specific identifiers.
 12. The mobile terminal of claim 11,wherein the duration of the broadcast mode is for an indefinite lengthof time or for a limited duration of time based on the at least onespecific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers.
 13. Abi-directional cellular wireless communication system adapted toimplement a cell broadcast service and a paging mode, the systemcomprising: a transmitter configured to broadcast content and transmitat least one paging message to a plurality of mobile terminals in acell; and the plurality of mobile terminals, each of the plurality ofmobile terminals comprising: a memory unit configured to store at leasttwo specific identifiers supporting an emergency warning, the at leasttwo specific identifiers being for different types of the broadcastcontent; and a control unit configured to: check whether the at leastone paging message received from the transmitter includes at least onespecific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers; switch toa broadcast support mode for receiving the broadcast content transmittedby the transmitter on a broadcast channel when the at least one pagingmessage transmitted by the transmitter includes the at least onespecific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers; andestablish at least one of a physical channel and a logical channel whenthe received paging message includes a mobile terminal identifierallocated to the mobile terminal.
 14. The system of claim 13, whereinthe mobile terminal identifier is at least one of a temporary mobilesubscriber identity, an international mobile subscriber identify, and apacket temporary mobile subscriber identity.
 15. The system of claim 13,wherein a duration of the broadcast mode is dependent on the at leastone specific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers. 16.The system of claim 15, wherein the duration of the broadcast mode isfor an indefinite length of time or for a limited duration of time basedon the at least one specific identifier of the at least two specificidentifiers.
 17. A method of communicating with a plurality of mobileterminals in a bi-directional cellular wireless communication systembetween a base station and the plurality of mobile terminals, the methodcomprising: broadcasting, at the base station, content to the pluralityof mobile terminals in a cell; transmitting, at the base station, atleast one paging message to the plurality of mobile terminals in thecell; storing, at one of the plurality of mobile terminals, at least twospecific identifiers common to the plurality of mobile terminalssupporting an emergency warning, the at least two specific identifiersbeing for different types of the broadcast content; checking, by the oneof the plurality of mobile terminals, whether the at least one pagingmessage received from the base station includes at least one specificidentifier of the at least two specific identifiers; switching, by theone of the plurality of mobile terminals, to a broadcast mode forreceiving the broadcast content on a broadcast channel when the receivedpaging message includes the at least one specific identifier of the atleast two specific identifiers; and establishing, by the one of theplurality of mobile terminals, at least one of a physical channel and alogical channel when the received paging message includes a mobileterminal identifier allocated to the one of the plurality of mobileterminals.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mobile terminalidentifier is at least one of a temporary mobile subscriber identity, aninternational mobile subscriber identify, and a packet temporary mobilesubscriber identity.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein a duration ofthe broadcast mode is dependent on the at least one specific identifierof the at least two specific identifiers.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein the duration of the broadcast mode is for an indefinite lengthof time or for a limited duration of time based on the at least onespecific identifier of the at least two specific identifiers.
 21. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the different types of the broadcast contentare different types of emergencies.
 22. The mobile terminal of claim 7,wherein the different types of the broadcast content are different typesof emergencies.
 23. The system of claim 13, wherein the different typesof the broadcast content are different types of emergencies.
 24. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the different types of the broadcast contentare different types of emergencies.